Category Archives: CreateMe

InspiredMe: DIY Natural Deodorant

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So you all know that I threw out my antiperspirants last week after reading this, and ever since, I’ve been desperately somewhat in need of a deodorant. Who knew, right?  I feel like I’ve tried 5 different kinds of natural deodorants, and none of them work so well.

Thankfully one of my friends came to the rescue this time and saved me with this homemade natural deodorant. I made this a few days ago and love it.

First of all, so easy to make, and secondly and most importantly, it actually works! So, a great big thank-you to my friend for passing along this recipe…it works wonders! I finally smell like a lady again. Give it a try!

Here’s what you’ll need:

5 tablespoons organic, virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 cup baking soda

10 drops essential oil (whatever you prefer, I used tangerine, but lavender would be nice as well.)

Mix all together and put in a container with a lid. Use a pea size drop on each underarm when needed.

DIY Natural Homemade Deodorant

  • 5 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 cup Corn starch
  • 1/4 cup Baking Soda
  • 10 drops essential oil (whatever you prefer)

Directions:

  1. Mix coconut oil, corn starch and baking soda
  2. Add the essential oil and mix well
  3. Transfer to a container with a lid
  4. Place a pea size amount to each underarm when needed.
  5. Will last 2 -3 months depending on usage

Original recipe by Joanna Albrecht

And for anyone looking for a DIY homemade lip gloss… I have three amazing recipes…check out this post here.

InspiredMe: What Happened Last Night…

Posted in CreateMe, ThoughtfulMe by

Oh happy day!

Okay, I know I sound ridiculous, but I am really surprised this actually worked.

My GARDEN IS GROWING!

I planted, watered, let it sit in the sun, and this is what I found this morning!

Such good little plants you are :)

Oh, and by the way, my hubby is amazing. He built our boys a sandbox this weekend.

My little boy had a great time using his painting skills! And if you are wondering why my son is in his winter coat in May… well, ask the weather… it was a cold morning!

It warmed up by afternoon and my boys were in heaven in their new homemade sandbox.Thanks Daddy!

They spent hours playing it in. And then we spent hours cleaning up… sand gets everywhere…my kitchen floor looked like a beach.

So worth it though. Best backyard toy ever.

Life really is good.

InspiredMe: Embrace Your Power

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“The point of power is in the present moment… right here and right now in our minds… What we’re choosing to think and say, today, at this moment, will create tomorrow and the next day and the next week and the next month and the next year, and so on. The point of power is always in the present moment. This is where we being to make changes.

We’ve learned that for every effect in our lives, there’s a thought pattern that precedes and maintains it. Our consistent thinking patterns create our experiences. Therefore, by changing our thinking patterns, we can change our experiences.

The way to control your life is to control your choice of words and thoughts.”

- Louise L. Hay, author of “Heal Your Body”

Embrace your power, choose to change your thoughts, and you will change your life. You are lovable, you are enough, you are beautiful. Believe it, say it, live it.

These are a few of my favorite affirmations to help me create a joyful, loving, amazing day. Hope they can inspire you as well.

What are some of your favorite affirmations?

InspiredMe: The Taste of Easter

Posted in CreateMe, FeedMe by

I hope last Easter weekend was wonderful for all of you. We had such a yummy day! Everything from breakfast to the evening’s dessert was divine. Here’s a little bit of what our day looked like! Enjoy.

For breakfast I made Cadbury Banana Muffins, recipe found here (I just substituted the chocolate chips for Cadbury Eggs!) I just couldn’t help myself… these chocolate morsels only come around once a year!

When I saw a recipe for Blackberry Limeaid on Pinterest I just had to try it out. It turned out to be amazing! And bonus, blackberries were on sale this week at Sunflower Farmer’s Market! Everyone enjoyed it. Perfect combination of sweet and tart. Yum Yum! The recipe is found here.

Dinner menu was as follows: Roasted Herb Marinated Chicken, Sauted Spinach and Shallots, Parmesan Couscous, and Olympic Salad. It flowed together flawlessly. (I’ll have you know this was the first time I’ve ever cut and roasted a whole chicken, and I have to say… I did a fabulous job…. thanks to my mom for the advice on that, it turned out perfectly moist.)

For the above mentioned Olympic Salad I used Quinoa noodles, and it turned out just as good as using wheat. I’ll post the recipe if anyone is interested. It’s my older brother’s favorite salad. Delicious!

We saved the best for last. Let me introduce the “mini bunny fruit pizza bar”… (Pinterest was the inspiration on this one too, I just added the festive bunny/carrot shapes. I found the bunny/ carrot cookie cutter at Target for anyone wanting to know for future refrences) My son loved helping make this!

The frosting was divine. The lemon juice and zest it called for sure did make it springy! The recipe for the frosting is found here. I added 1/4 cup plain Chobani yogurt to the recipe for some added protein and creaminess. It was light, refreshing and a perfect ending to a perfect and yummy day!

InspiredMe: All Aboard the Birthday Train!

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Chuga-chuga-choo-choo! We had a Thomas the Train birthday party this weekend for my son. It was tremendous fun and I thought I’d share some of the party with you all. Birthday’s are the best!

Found the train banner idea here on Etsy.

Tissue Paper Pom Pom tutorial found here.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake Pops were a favorite. Such a big hit! Tutorial and recipe coming soon!

My hubby and little baby!

A little electrical tape made a perfect train track! It went from the door and wrapped around the food table and back again.

Used sand buckets to make a little train for the chips!

Found this 7 Layer bean dip idea here. (One of my favorite blog sites! Thanks, Missy!)

I made these two cake toppers on my computer for the cake. Got the cake from Costco… it was SO GOOD! Found the idea here.

It was a super fun day for everyone. Now on to more packing! Big move in 6 days! AHHHH! No more playin…. I need to get busy!

InspiredMe: 100 Things To Get Rid Of

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In T-Minus 11 days and counting we will be in our new house! Hurray!  I can’t tell you how exciting moving is- no, really… if it means getting more space for my boys to run around in and an actual YARD… I’m like a little girl at Christmas just thinking about the endless possibilities!

So, when I read this post over at Lasso the Moon, I knew this was for me… I mean, seriously, what better time to do “100 things weekend” than when you’re moving. I am in serious need of taking some pounds off my house’s waist line.

So, read the post on the link above. But, in the mean time, here’s the short run down of how it works. Pick a weekend, (or week) and get rid of at least 100 things… could be trash, recycles, donations, etc. Go through each room and skim down on all your clutter.

This is such a wonderful idea… not only will I feel super good but it will help me with living more simply. And better yet, my house will be filled with only the essentials and a few of my favorite home decor items. Clean and organized. I can’t wait to get rid of things and start anew! (House and all.) Anyone want to join with me on the 100 things weekend? Who’s up for the challenge? Grab your boxes and bags and get going!

This is also a good time to bring up some sad news… since I am in the process of moving, my blog posts might be a little skim for the next two weeks… but don’t you worry your pretty little faces… I’ll be back in full force soon!

InspiredMe: HEART ATTACK!

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Grab your kiddos, some paper, crayons, scissors, and a pen and make a “heart attack” for someone special. It will be one of the most fun ways to say “I love you!”

Cut out a bunch of hearts, write one thing you love about your special person on each heart, and have your kids decorate them.

Then send them in the mail, or better yet, tape them all over the room/house so when daddy comes home he gets a great surprise! Have fun this weekend and do a heart attack!

InspiredMe: DIY Framed Vinyl Wall Art

Four years ago this month my mom and I were shopping in this cute home decor boutique when we came across these framed vinyl lettering gems. We loved it at first sight, and we both had the same brilliant idea that we could make these at home- for a lot cheaper than that pretty little number on the price tag. So we did. Thought I’d share with you how you can make one too. It is super easy. You will love this craft!

Here’s what you’ll need: frame with glass, vinyl wall lettering (you can buy at any craft store), and a mat to go around the frame.

Find a frame that will fit the vinyl lettering measurements. Follow the directions to place the vinyl lettering on the wall, but instead put it on the glass. Fit a mat to go around the glass to frame the words in and to cover the glass hooks. And Ta-Da! It’s that easy… and it looks great! This would make a great valentines gift for your special someone!

InspiredMe: Give your Lips some Lovin’

Lip balm is one of the easiest things to make, and one of the most fun as well. The flavors are endless, and the benefits are wonderful.  I found all these containers online and made the labels on my computer. Here are my top three recipes. Two for a balm and another for a gloss.

Lip Love Healing Lip Salve

This is made with moisturizing Lanolin and nourishing vitamin E along with Tea Tree Essential Oil, which is known for its healing and regenerative properties for the skin. This lip salve is great for your lips, cuticles, dry feet and even sores or blemishes.

2 tsp beeswax (coarsely chopped)

3 tsp sweet almond oil

3 tsp cocoa butter

1/4 tsp lanolin

7 drops vitamin E oil

5 drops tea tree (melaleuca) essential oil

5 drops peppermint essential oil

Put beeswax, almond oil, cocoa butter, and lanolin in a glass pyrex measuring cup in a double broiler on light boil until melted. Take off heat and put in vitamin E, tea tree oil, and peppermint oil. Stir. Put in container to let cool and harden.

HoneyBerry Lip Gloss

The name sounds good enough to eat and it practically is! Made with rich honey, beet juice for a light berry color, and packed with good moisture rich oils and vitamin E, this is as good for your lips as it is for your tongue!

2 tsp. sweet almond oil

1/2 tsp. beeswax (coarsely chopped)

1/4 tsp. cocoa butter

1/4 tsp. coconut oil

1/2 tsp. honey

4 drops vanilla flavor

5 drops vitamin E oil

1/2 tsp aloevera gel

2-4 drops beet juice

Mix sweet almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, coconut oil and honey in a glass pyrex measuring cup in double broiler on light boil until melted. Take off heat. Mix in Honey, vanilla, vitamin E, aloe vera gel and beet juice. Put in container and let cool. Once it starts to cool down you might want to mix it again to get the beet juice color more consistent.

CocoaMint Lip Balm

This is one of my all time favorite combinations. This is made with antioxidant rich real dark chocolate and goes on light and glossy. Just divine!

2 tsp. cocoa butter

2 tsp. sweet almond oil

1 1/2 tsp beeswax (coarsely chopped)

2 organic dark chocolate chips

7 drops vitamin E oil

5 drops peppermint essential oil

Mix sweet almond oil, beeswax, chocolate, and cocoa butter in a glass pyrex measuring cup in double broiler on light boil until melted. Take off heat. Mix in vitamin E and peppermint oil. Put in container and let cool. Yummy!